Spring-cushion.



No. 629,00. Patented July I8, l899.-

A, c. M06080. SPRING CUSHION.

(Applicntion filed Apr. 8, 1891) (In Modal.)

WA JQ i a UNITED STATES PATENT Curios."

,ALvIN o. iicoonn-oironionco, ILLINOIS.

spams-cosmos,

srndxrrcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,110, dated July 18,1899.

Application filed April 3, 1899.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, ALVINC. Moconma citizen of the United States, residing'at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- 5 nois, have invented a certain new and 'useful' Improvement in springflushions, (Case No. 5,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming o a part of this specification.

My invention relates to spring-cushions, and more particularly to that class of springcushions employing friction devices to decrease the vibratory movements thereof.

My invention has for its objects toincrease the effectiveness of devices of this class known or used prior to my invention and also to simplify the construction thereof. I 7

3 Generally speaking,myinvention comprises a spring to be interposed between the parts to be cushioned and a friction device added to said spring" which is frictionally engaged or adapted to be frictionally engaged by the spring and which is operatedthereby in the 5 preferred construction. Y

My invention in its preferredembodiinent comprises a coiled spring for interposition between the parts to be cushioned and a friction-lever device or element operated thereby and engaging. or adapted to engage the spring to create the desired friction. By this construction a special friction element for engaging the friction device is dispensed with, v

a portion of the spring acting as a friction element with which the friction device is adapted to engage.- The particular friction device. that I prefer to employ consists of lever mechanism operated by the spring, whereby friction varying with the load may be produced. 7 r V The device of my present invention is primarily adapted for use in the construction of railway-vehicles, the device being of particular utility in the construction of car trucks and buffers, although it is not limited to this use.

In t-he construction of car-trucks bolsters have been supported either upon coiled springs or upon elliptic springs. The elliptic springs possess an advantage over the coiled springs when the latterfare unaccompanied by auxiliary devices in that by their sh n in. 711,486. on man I 'use each jolting movement of the car-truck will be'accompanied by a single movement of the bolster, while with the coiled springs each jolting movement of the car-truck is acster and the car-body mounted thereon. The elliptic springs, however,'are much more expensive than the coiled springs and are of very much shorter life. By means of myinresults obtained by the use of elliptic springs and am atthe same time enabled to produce a spring-cushion which is cheaper and which will last longer than the elliptic springs heretofore used. In theconstruction of trucks for and freight-cars ,for, conveying delicate and perishable freight it is necessary that the jolting movements of the bolster be minimized, for whichpurpose elliptic springs have most generally been employed. I find that I am enabled to replace elliptic springs used in these variouscon nections by the simpler and cheaper device of my construction, securing practically the same results. In, some of-the claims, however, I have not limited myself to coiled springs, though in the preferred embodimentthe coiled spring forms a very important element'of the invention. 7

I;wil1 explain my invention more particu ings and will particularly point out the same in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a swing-motion truck with a device of my invention in place vertical sectional view of the spring-cushion shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of spring-cushion constr noted in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of a lever entering into the construction of the device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view on line 55,Fig.3..

Like letters indicate like parts throughout thedifierent views. 1

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated my invention as applied to a well-known swing-motion diamond freight car truck. The invention, however, isv capable of use with other forms of car-trucks and for other purposes.

larly by reference to the accompanying drawcompanied by several movements of the bol- 1 vention I am enabled practically to secure the supporting passenger-coaches, locomotives,

Fig. 2 is a I have shown but one spring a of aigroup, V

which is interposed between the bolster a and spring-plank a As the construction and arrangement of the spring-plank bearing a column-bolt at, column guide or transom a and the arch-bars a are well known to those skilled in the art I do not deem further mention thereof to be essential.

The spring ais preferably made of square bar-steel to afford a large frictional contactsurface for engagement with the frictional device or element operated thereby. 'The friction device that I employ consists, preferably, in a lever mechanism. In the structure shown in Fig. 2 the lever mechanism is in the form of two levers b 0, each in the form of a bell-crank lever. The arms Z) c of the levers extend within the bore of the spring, while the arms 12 c extend outwardly beneath the spring to receive the axial pressure of the sprin The arms b c are provided with fulcrum-points b 0 about which the levers swing or tend to swing or rotate.

I preferably provide means for maintaining uniform contact between the spring and the arms of the levers within the same. In the structure shown in Fig. 2 I make the arms of the levers within the spring each in two parts, the parts I) c of said arms having pivotal or swinging connection with the remaining portions of the arms, whereby said parts 6 0 maybe maintained in engagement with the coiled spring throughout the length of said parts irrespective of the angular position of the arms b c and the parts Z) a rigidly connected therewith. The same result is accomplished by the structure shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, in which a lever-plate (l is employed, a truncated conical projection'd being provided upon said plate, with the slopingsides of which projection the fulcrumpoints of the levers engage. By reason of the engagement of the fulcrum-points with a downwardly-sloping base the engagement of the spring throughout the length of the upright arms is not only uniform, but the levers accommodate themselves to springs of slightly-different diameters. and readjust themselves as the springs and the said arms are worn away.

As coiled springs are liable to transverse flcxure, especially when employed in cartrucks, I curve the upper ends of the levers inwardly, so that the levers cannot prevent the compression of the spring, whereby breakage of the spring-cushion mechanism is pre vented.

The arms of the levers extending within the spring are preferably semicircular in crosssection, as shown in Fig. 5, the lovers when assembled forming a longitudinally -split tube, the arms b c forming a flange to the tube. Those portions of the arms b c that engage the spring a are preferably inclined from the periphery toward the center, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the spring will only engage the arms at opposite portions of the periphery when the lovers are unexpanded,

so that upon the application of force to the springs the friction-levers may be rocked and brought into engagement with the spring. The levers are disposed in the application of the invention shown in Fig. 1 upon the springplank.

' lVhile I have illustrated the spring-cushion of my invention as being disposed between the bolster and spring-plank of a car-truck, it is obvious that it may be disposed between other parts whose relative movement is to be retarded or to reduce the number of vibrations.

It will be observed that the coiled spring a performs the double function of cushioning the separated parts and of transmitting to the friction-levers any force impressed upon the coiled spring by the separated parts. Thus the coiled spring upon its compression is the means of securing frictional pressure between the elements of the friction device.

The frictional pressure varies with the load or pressure upon the spring.

It will be apparent that no auxiliary devices need be employed in the preferred construction for securing frictional pressure between the elements of the friction device, the separated parts being adapted to furnish the necessary force, while in the preferred embodiment the coiled spring of the cushion is employed to transmit the force to frictionally engage the elements of the friction device.

Then the device of my invention is employed in car-trucks, the coiled spring is constantly under pressure, whereby the frictional elements are constantly maintained in engagement, the frictional pressure varying according to the degree of compression of the spring.

It is obvious that changes may be made in my improved spring-cushion without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not therefore desire to be limited to the precise construction shown; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l 1. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction device added to and operated by the spring and brought thereby into frictional contact therewith, substantially as described.

2. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a coiled spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction device added to and operated by the spring and brought thereby into frictional con-tact therewith, substantially as described.

3. In a spring-cushion, the combination with the coiled spring (t, of a friction-lever mechanism engaging or adapted frictionally to engage the spring, the press u re of the spring acting upon the said friction-lever mechanism to cause frictional pressure, varying with the load, against the spring, substantially as described.

ICC

4. In a spring-cushion, the combination with the coiled spring a, of opposed bell-crank levers b c, an arm of each of which extends within the spring, said arms engaging or adapted frictionally to engage the spring, the remaining arm of each lever engaging the spring to receive the axial pressure. thereof, whereby frictional pressure varying with the load is exerted by the levers against the interior of the spring, substantially as described.

5. In a spring-cushion, the combination with the coiled spring a, of friction-levers engaging, or adapted frictionally to engage, and being operated by the spring, substantially as described. V

6. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction-lever added to and operated by the spring and brought thereby into frictional contact therewith, substantially as described.

7. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a coiled'spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned,of afriction-lever added to and operated by the spring and brought thereby into frictional contact therewith, su b stantially as described.

8. In a spring-cushion, the combination with the coiled spring a, of friction-levers extending within the spring, said friction-levers frictionally engaging, or adapted frictio'nally to engage, and being operated by the spring,

, substantially as described.

9; Ina spring-cushion, the combination with a spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction bell-crank lever added to and operated by the spring and brought thereby into frictional contact therewith, substantially as described.

10. In a springcushion, the combination with a coiled spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction bell-crank lever added to and operated by the spring and brought thereby into frictional contact; I

i with a coiledspring interposed between the therewith, substantially as described.

11. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a coiled spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction bell-crank lever having one arm extending within the spring and engaging or adapted frictionally to engage the interior of the spring, the re maining arm of the lever being engaged by and adapted to receive the axial pressure of the. spring to operate the friction-lever, sub- 5 stantially as described.

with a coiled spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction bell-crank lever having one arm extending within the spring and engaging or adapted frictionally lever having one arm extending within the spring and engaging or adapted frictionally to engage the interior of the spring, the re- -maining arm of the lever being engaged by and adapted to receive the axial pressure of thespring to operate the friction-lever, and a support provided with a sloping engaging surface with which the fulcrum of the lever engages, whereby the arm within the spring is maintained in uniform contact with the .sleeve, substantially as described.

14. In a spring-cushion, the combination with a spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction device added to said spring and having or adapted to have frictional contact therewith, substantially as described.

15. In a spring-cushion, the combination .with a spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction-lever added 'to said spring and having or adapted to have frictional contact therewith, substantially as described. I r

v 16. In a spring-cushion, with a coiled spring interposed between the parts to be cushioned, of a friction device added to said spring and having or adapted to have frictional contact therewith, substantially asdescribed.

17. In a spring-cushion, the combination parts to be cushioned, of a friction-lever added to. said spring and having or adapted to have frictional contact therewith, substantially as I described. r

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name, this 28th day of March, A. D. 1899.

ALVIN O. MCGORD.

Vlfit-nesses:

JUDsoN G. LAMON, GEORGE L. CRAGG.

the combination. 

